Post by chewbacca on Aug 26, 2019 10:08:33 GMT

Safe to say I did not see that coming! Could only have been better if it was to win the series, but wow, what an amazing display and finish that was.

Has the momentum changed now? Or are we mentally and emotionally spent after that!

I think both sides will be. The good thing is, ours were all in the hutch. It was good to see the likes of Root, Denly and I’m calling it Bairstow get scores. Stokes has showed them how they can dig and then be explosive, it’s test cricket there always has to be an element of digging. We’ll see, people thought Lords was the momentum changer.

Post by jackthegas on Aug 27, 2019 13:47:50 GMT

I am not sure how to sum up the last half an hour of Sunday's climax really. In contrast to the World Cup final that was agony for hours, this game built to a tight finish out of no where. I felt we would get 300 or there about but I never felt we would win the game, even when we needed 10 to win I felt that Australia would have another chance as the pressure swung back towards England. It was an incredible innings by a batsmen who has looked on the cusp of realizing his potential for a while now. What I admire about Stokes is that, in contrast to his peers, he has developed his game. He has clearly worked very hard to develop a defensive technique that he feels he can trust. The assault at the end was astonishing but, inevitably contained an element of good fortune and he is not the only player in the Country who is capable of destroying an attack. The difference is that Stokes had the ability to build an innings and wear the bowlers down. If his bowling wasn't so important, his versatility and defensive technique would make him a good number 3.

Leach did well to support him and showed up some of the others in that batting line up. Archer for example has too much talent to gift his wicket like that when the best player in the side is well set at the other end.

What do we do moving forward? I am still not convinced by Roy, Denley or Burns at this level. Denley got runs but continued to aim flashy drives to deliveries that were at best weighted 70:30 in the bowlers favour. Add to that a weakness against a short ball. I think we have better options at number 4. Roy hasn't looked like scoring a run so the options are, switch Denley and Roy or Denley opens and Pope or even Foakes comes into the side at 4. Pope is an exciting player and is in form so he may well get the nod.

Anderson will probably come in for Woakes, who has been horribly under - bowled by Root. Makes our tail look pretty long though, especially as it was meant to be an area of strength leading into the series.

The big question is, is that England's big collapse for this series, or do they have another one in them? I suspect Australia are yet to have theirs, but England will not get away with another one. I think another sub 100 score is not out of the question, and so for that reason, I still think the Ashes are Australia's to lose.

Post by warehamgas on Sept 8, 2019 13:10:54 GMT

FWIW, it’s no good calling for Denley, Buttler and Bairstow to be dropped. Whilst I can understand, the schedule the ECB has placed on the County Championship means that there has been no red ball cricket for almost six weeks in this country. Ok there was one match in August but nothing else. Which means that there is no one else in red ball form, no one else has had any real cricket and there are no alternatives to the players England have. You could bring Sam Curran in to replace Overton I suppose but that would be a bit unfair on Overton imo. But no one else is there to replace the others mentioned. And to be fair to Denley he’s been out to some very good balls and over the past few matches has scored a good score in each of the matches so whilst I don’t think he’s the long term answer, he’s been as good as any in this series. Roy did ok this morning but he looks worried and for his own well being needs to be replaced in the 5th test.

And however bad they’ve been they are all better than David Warner. I bet he wished they would ban him for another year at the moment. 😀

Post by cornwallgas on Sept 8, 2019 21:17:04 GMT

FWIW, it’s no good calling for Denley, Buttler and Bairstow to be dropped. Whilst I can understand, the schedule the ECB has placed on the County Championship means that there has been no red ball cricket for almost six weeks in this country. Ok there was one match in August but nothing else. Which means that there is no one else in red ball form, no one else has had any real cricket and there are no alternatives to the players England have. You could bring Sam Curran in to replace Overton I suppose but that would be a bit unfair on Overton imo. But no one else is there to replace the others mentioned. And to be fair to Denley he’s been out to some very good balls and over the past few matches has scored a good score in each of the matches so whilst I don’t think he’s the long term answer, he’s been as good as any in this series. Roy did ok this morning but he looks worried and for his own well being needs to be replaced in the 5th test.

And however bad they’ve been they are all better than David Warner. I bet he wished they would ban him for another year at the moment. 😀

FWIW2...I understand that a limited amount of red ball cricket has been played lately but we can't keep on playing the same way Test after Test. It's way past time to start prioritising winning the Ashes back in 2 years time i.e. batsmen that stay in and fast bowlers. Time to drop Denley, Roy, Bairstow & Buttler for all their own good.

Post by warehamgas on Sept 9, 2019 8:59:40 GMT

Yes Cornwall, I agree about playing the same way test after test and that the players you mentioned need a rest. Roy, Buttler and Bairstow have played all summer and look in real need of a rest for all the reasons youve said. I guess in playing Overton they were looking at the future likewise with Leach. It’s just at the moment they are not as good as Anderson, in CO case. Denley I think has done ok, not marvellous but ok, certainly as good as others. Payne continually gave Nathan Lyon a short leg, Root rarely gave Jack Leach one so his effectiveness was limited. Big questions over Root as captain esp with other option s in the team.My point was more to do with the ECB schedule this summer. Had there been red ball cricket in August through the country we would have had a choice of possible replacements but we haven’t and so once the squad was announced any changes would have to come from within the squad. Curran I think was unlucky not to get a game but not much else to change once Moeen Ali was given time off.Once the ECB have rid themselves of the £££ signs in front of their eyes and consider what is needed to win the ashes then we might be in with a chance but their obsession with “the 100” and all other one day cricket doesn’t give me confidence that that will happen.

Post by jackthegas on Sept 9, 2019 9:59:16 GMT

There are too many big name players in the team that have not fulfilled their potential or who are not in form at the moment. Bairstow, Buttler, Moeen and Stokes all average circa 35 with the bat and only one of those looks like the average is improving rather than heading South. Even Root has had a disappointing couple of years.

Burns has exceeded expectations and demonstrates the virtues of having some red ball experience to fall back on. His technique is limited but he has built a game to overcome that and he has the ability to defend on the front foot. He also seems to be improving with more exposure to Test cricket.

It also suggests that a good record in County Cricket over a long period of time should count of something. The issue with lots of the batsmen we've tried is that their first class record is not all that strong. Problem is, there aren't too many more batsmen in County cricket who have a first class average in excess of 40.

Denely has scored a couple of 50s but I thought he was lucky to get there both times. The question is, are the players who are next in line ready to make the step up? Crawley has a career average of 32 and has an average less than 40 this season. He seems to be in the reckoning based on Rob Key having a big mouth and a high media presence. He might be one for the future but I would want him to score more runs in First Class cricket before picking him. Sibley has a better record and has had a great season. He has patients and can apply himself. It's just about timing really. If the selectors and Paul Farbrace think he would benefit from having another season in County cricket then keep Denely in the side. If not, then I would pick Sibley.

Roy has had a go and it hasn't worked. The gap he left between bat and pad yesterday was enormous. He doesn't have the technique to play test cricket. I would move on. Sam Northeast deserves a chance. A bit like Burns, he has a wealth of experience behind him and is comfortable batting at number 4.

I also think Bairstow needs a kick up the arse. He has so much ability and should be a consistent run scorer at this level but his returns over the last couple of years have been really disappointing. We have a ready made replacement in Ben Foakes, all-be-it, Foakes hasn't had a great season with the bat.

Last one up for discussion is Jos Buttler. I would not have brought him back into the team last year, but, for a while it looked like a master stroke. I do feel that he is trying to adapt his game and find his tempo in test cricket and he could be an absolute superstar, but he has one hundred from 35 tests. Time is running out. I think that Ollie Pope would score more runs than him at number 6. I also feel that Pope could develop into a number 4. I don't think Buttler will ever bat higher than 5. The only thing that really counts in Buttler's favour is that I would want to know for sure that he won't make it in Test cricket before moving on once and for all. I think I would give him the winter and see where we are from there, but he has to go back up the order to 6.

For the next test then, I would pick;

BurnsSibleyRootNortheastStokesButtlerFoakesWoakesArcherLeachBroad

I suspect though that they will make one change to the batting line up with Pope coming in for Roy.